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SINGLETREE PLATE.

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Fly 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. GOBSUOH, OF MARTINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF .ONFrHALFTO JOHN T. SHIRLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

,SlNGLETREE-PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,614, dated November1, 1887.

Application filed March 9, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. Gonsuon, a citizen ofthe United States,and a resident of Martinsburg, in the county of Blair 21 nd State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinSingletree Plates; and

I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view ofsingletree-plates. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of same; Figs. 3 and 4,modifi' cation of same.

My invention relates to singletreeplates for vehicles; and it consistsin the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates thecross-bar of the thills, or the connectingbar, where double- 2 5 treesare used.

The application of the plates being similar in both cases, the thillsand singletree will be shown to illustrate the invention.

The singletree-plates are madein pairs co mprising an upper plate and alower plate.

B designates the lower plate, the arms of which are provided withscrew-l1oles for the seouringscrews and depending studs O,which latterenter the wood of the cross-bar A and 5 relieve the securing-screws fromthe lateral strain that would otherwise come upon them. At the middle ofits length the lowerplate, B, is provided with a'flanged boss, 0, whichis surrounded by an annular flange, D, which is 0 connected to the boss0 at one point by an integral partition, E, so as to leave a nearlyannular seat or recess, R, between the flange D and the flanged boss 0.The flanged boss Ois a female boss and receives the male boss E of 5 theupper singletree-plate, F.

The arms of the upper plate, F, are provided with upwardly projectingstuds G, which enter seats in the wood of the singletree and relievethesecuring-screws of thelat- 5c eral strain that would otherwise comeupon them. The arms of this plate are also pro- Serial No. 230,262, (Nomodel.)

vided with screw-holes for the securing-screws. The boss E of the upperplate, F, is nearly surrounded by a curved depending flange, H. TheflangeH is surrounded by a depending annular flange, I, a space, K,being left between the flange I and the flange H, into which recess theannular flange D of the lower plate, B, fits when the plates areconnected. The bolt-holes M N in the bosses of the two plates B F arealigned when the plates are put together, and a securing-bolt is passedthrough said holes to secure the singletree properly in place.

In a modification of the lower plate the flanged boss is connected tothe flange surrounding it by two diametricallydisposed partitions, E. Inthis instance the curved flange H is dispensed with and two opposedcurved flanges, P Q, are provided. The effeet in this instance is thesame as with the single flange H; but the amount of material used isless and the plates are made with less expense. By employing either ofthese styles of plates the singletrees can turn far enough on theirpivots to permit them to operate properly and promptly; but they Willnotturn entirely around, and will almost be in convenient position topermit the team to be hooked up. As the strain is removed from thesecuring-screws by the studs engaging the wood, the plates will remainin place for an indefinite period.

Having described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

The combination, with a singletreeplate having acentral boss providedwith a bolthole, an encircling flange connected to an outer encirclingflange by a radial rib, of a singletree-plate having a centralbolt-hole, an annular rib or flange surrounding the bolt hole, aconcentric are outside of said annular flange, and an encircling flangeor rib outside of said concentric are, substantially as specifled.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. GORSUOH.

Witnesses:

L. W. PORT, M. L. KAUFFMAN.

